finding laura: the danger zone
by onelildustbunni
Summary: Laura Kinney reaches the next stage of her personal journey to 'find herself'. Set after WatXM #1 but before X-23 #17.
1. Chapter 1

****TITLE:**** finding laura: the danger zone**  
><strong>STARRING:<strong>** Hellion/X-23**  
><strong>UNIVERSE: <strong>**616, post-WatXM #1 and pre-X-23 #17**  
><strong>RATING: <strong>**Teen...ish?**  
><strong>SUMMARY: <strong>**My version of what happens next in Laura's self exploratory journey.

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><p><strong>chapter I. choice<strong>

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><p>Staring at the ceiling, Laura wonders if she's made the right choice.<p>

She's lying on her mattress, arms folded beneath her head, eyes fixed firmly on the bumpy texture of the plaster above. In a room surprisingly similar to one she had inhabited almost two years ago; even in the same location.

Westchester. Xavier's school for the Gifted; except now it has a new name: the Jean Grey school for Higher Learning.

_What am I doing here? _

Laura blinks. She knows the outline for her activities; she is a student again. She will attend classes with the others, to obtain a 'normal' education, like her human counterparts of a similar age. These classes are technically a higher level; now she will be earning something called 'credits'. Credit for what, she isn't quite certain.

She thinks of her experiences over the course of the last year, being on her own. The things she had learned about herself and the world. The idea of self she'd begun to define, finally; the thought of being a machine slowly fading as she starts to have her own ideas and opinions.

And feelings, yes. Laura not only understands what emotions are now; but she acknowledges that she has them. Perhaps more muted than others, yes, but there nonetheless; and enough so that they sometimes affect her actions. She has learned the concepts of mercy, of kindness, of self-control.

Logan had spent over three hours convincing her that this was the next step in her personal quest to find her identity. He'd called her up one day—after she had woken up from her week-long coma following the Captain Universe business—and had demanded that they meet in New York for sundaes. Sitting in an ice cream parlor, her former mentor and adopted father regarded her over the table and had told her that she had grown. Not in size, or weight, but inside. He told her that she now needed to apply that growth in a real-life setting, with other children her own age.

Instantly, Laura had protested. She didn't want to be with the other students again. They thought her nothing more than a killer, a creepy death machine. She had been on X-force, and now she'll never be one of them.

Logan had told her—gruffly—that this was exactly _why_ she needed to come back. Showing the others her transformation will be the final step, the completion, the erasure of all the damage the Facility had rendered to her over the years. Then he had paused, and told her that there were a couple of students that missed her "somethin' powerful".

Laura could hazard a guess as to whom he was speaking of.

She had taken her time to decide; two weeks, in fact, to respond to Logan's offer. And then finally, one night as she sat on a rooftop, she suddenly decided that she would take a chance. Nothing would bind her to this new school; she knows now that she can make her own way in life. She is independent. It will be different than before.

Now, lying on her new bed, Laura thinks of the day of classes coming up. She'd arrived late last night, by way of the Harley she'd purchased for the purpose. The only person she'd really spoken to so far is Logan, who had greeted her last night with a look of immense relief, and a big hug.

He has changed. Now he wears a suit every day, and grooms his hair; he seems very concerned about the welfare of the school, and enthusiastic about its programs. This is a much different Logan from the one that had led her on the bloody pursuits of X-force only a year ago. She thinks the change might be for the better, as he seems happier.

And then she marvels that she can understand what 'happier' means, and that she can define what has caused this state of emotion.

Her eyes drift over to the other bed, which is now empty, but a few minutes ago was occupied by her roommate, Cessily. The girl had been quite happy to see her friend has returned, making loud exclamations and jumping up and down. Whereas before this might have startled and confused Laura, now she simply smiled and returned the girl's embrace, feeling the same positive emotion: happiness at seeing an old friend.

She hears the shower stop, and sits up in bed. In an hour, she needs to be in her first class, and it's time to start preparing.

**XXX**

Laura pulls at the contraption around her neck, making a face at the uncomfortable feeling against her throat. Earlier, Cessily had helped her tie it.

"Are these really necessary?" she asks, for the third time.

"Mr. Logan wants us to be a real school," Cessily explains patiently. "He thinks the uniforms will give us a more…well…uniform…appearance. A sense of spirit." She pauses. "I kinda like them. And he was so…well…enthusiastic about them. I've never seen him so interested in us kids, so…"

Laura thinks about this. She considers the notion: people will do unpleasant things to make others happy. Has she done this herself? She thinks of some of her own personal sacrifices, and decides that she has.

"I suppose," she says.

"Do you have the class schedule, Laura? I totally messed up and left it in the room."

Dutifully, Laura pulls a sheet of cardstock out of her binder. "We have Psychology 101 first, taught by Rachel Grey. In room 15B." She pauses. "I remember Rachel."

"You know her?" Cessily asks, surprised.

"Yes. She used to be my roommate."

"Wow, easy grade for _you_ then!" The other girl pats her shoulder, and Laura stiffens. Cessily frowns and is about to comment, but just then, someone calls her name, over the general chatter around them.

"Cess!"

"Oh-oh," she says automatically, glancing with wide eyes at Laura, and then at the boy approaching them. She grimaces.

"What's wrong?" Julian asks, then his gaze falls on her companion. He stops in his tracks, his expression hardening.

"Hey," Cessily says, still wincing. She'd forgotten that this would be coming.

"Why's _she_ back?" he asks, his voice cold.

Laura remembers the circumstances under which she'd left Utopia, and realizes that the he is probably scared and angry at her; something Logan had conveniently forgotten to mention. She opens her mouth, uncertain of what to say to make the situation better.

"Look, I don't want to talk to you," he says. "Cess, do you want to sit together for this class?"

"What—your taking psych too?"

"Yeah, of course. It's a general requirement."

"Awesome! We can all sit together then."

"Forget it. I'm not sitting with _her._" He shoots a glare at the other girl. "I don't sit with attempted _murderers_, you see."

"Way to not be a hypocrite. _God,_ Julian…" Cessily rubs her temples. "His logic gives me a headache sometimes."

Laura returns his vicious look with raised eyebrows. She wants to ask him why Mercury would say this, but it is obvious he does not want any contact with her.

"Just stay the hell away from me, clone!" he snaps.

"My name is _Laura_." The words come out before she realizes she is speaking, and all three pause in amazement. She's never argued against the names other students have called her before. Before, she'd agree with their general attitude toward her, and assume that whatever they called her was an accurate description. Now, however…she knows this is wrong.

"Whatever," Julian decides. "See you around, Cess. Come find me when you stop being an accomplice to a criminal."

"Holy double standards!" Cessily fumes, then takes Laura by the arm and leads her down the hallway, mumbling under her breath. "I'm sorry, Laura. He's been such a genuine _douche__bag_lately…I don't know what's wrong with him. I mean, yeah it sucked when he got hurt…but he's acting like a five year old! He started hanging out with that Glob Hermann guy—he's so lame—and spends his afternoons picking on the other kids here…he beat up a fourteen-year-old last week…and we haven't even been open that long yet!"

Laura frowns slightly, but says nothing. She wonders if his anger toward her has anything to do with what seems to his general state of bitterness.

"There's us!" Cessily says, interrupting her thoughts.

**XXX**

At the end of the class, Laura pauses. "Just a moment," she tells Cessily, then heads toward the podium at which their teacher is putting away her notes.

"Rachel," she says.

The woman—not too much older than herself—looks up, surprised at hearing her first name from a student. Then her eyes widen. "X!"

"It has been a while," Laura says, smiling.

"So it has." Rachel pauses. "How have you been?"

"…" Laura takes a moment, trying to think of a way to summarize her adventures; the other woman senses this, and grins. "It's okay…I know _exactly_ what that's like. I can't even start describing to you how crazy the past few years have been. Luckily, I'm used to crazy."

"As am I." The girl tilts her head. "Is Kitty also here at the school?"

"She's the _headmistress!_" Rachel says.

Laura raises her eyebrows in surprise. "I did not expect that."

"Me neither. I was expecting Wolverine to get someone like Storm or something….man, I still can't believe she _stayed_. This is where it's at." She smiles, then her eyes catch the clock on the wall. "Crap…I have to go, kid. I have a Danger Room session to supervise. But we should catch up sometime."

"Perhaps when I finish your course," Laura suggests.

"Well yeah, there's that too."

The two smile, and then the girl heads over to where Cessily is waiting. "I am ready to go now," she says.

"Okay, I think we have a free period, and then we have English. Then it's Calculus…ugh. I _hate_ math."

"I like it." Laura shrugs slightly. "Math is easy to understand."

"That's where you and me differ," Cessily says. She grins and takes Laura's arm; the pair head toward the cafeteria, talking about what each has been doing in their time apart.

**XXX**

"…stop, please!"

Laura frowns, and pauses in her tracks. She's heading down a relatively deserted corridor, toward her room, after a quick meeting with Logan confirming her class choices. She turns around, cocking her ear and listening; after a few moments, she is certain that the sounds are coming from another passage, approximately three hallways away.

She begins to move toward the source of the noise. The person doing the pleading is male, although his voice is high pitched. There is a loud _thud,_followed by sounds of a struggle. She can hear two other people moving around, from their footsteps, and breathing.

"We should totally take him to the washroom," a deep, distorted voice says. "Show him what you do with a turd, right?"

"We did that last week." Julian's voice. "And he's _still_here! Have to teach him a more lasting lesson. I say hanging him off the school's lightning rod should make the message a little clearer."

"Oho!"

Laura rounds the corner, and sees that the two are leaning over someone half their size, a small mutant that resembles an alien. Julian's accomplice is, indeed, Glob Hermann; a big, pink, see-through boy made of organic paraffin wax.

"Stop it!" She shouts, as Julian's eyes glow green, to back up his threat. He does just that, his head jerking to the side, surprise evident in his expression.

"Uh—" he says.

Laura's eyes narrow. "Your attempts to be the dominant males at this school would be more impressive if your target was larger," she says, in a scathing manner.

"You sayin' you'd be a better target?" Glob Hermann demands.

"No." Julian holds up his hand. "She's off-limits."

"What? Ain't no body off limits!" The other boy turns his floating eyes toward his companion. "Oooh, wait…is this the Wolverine clone you keep talkin' about?"

"Shut up." Julian folds his arms. "You're not welcome here, _clone._ This school isn't a place for murderers. It's a place for regular kids, like us. And not you. I know just because Wolverine's running the show you think that you can get away with _anything,_but that isn't true. I'm going to be keeping my eye on you, got it?"

"I am not the one causing disturbances in the hallway."

For a moment, he reddens, and she sees uncertainty in his expression. The same kind of uncertain, hesitant way that he'd regarded her with in times past.

"Yeah, well…I'm still going to be monitoring you. Don't think I've forgotten how dangerous you can be."

"We are all 'dangerous', so this would be a waste of time on your part." Laura turns to the boy that the others had been hurting. "You should go."

"Thank you," he says calmly.

"What the—I didn't say he's free!" Julian protests.

She glares at him, and says nothing; he also falls silent, not feeling like pressing the matter. Glob Hermann looks between the two of them.

"Should I go?" he asks.

"No." Julian says, at the same time as Laura replies with "Yes".

"Later man."

"I said—" the remaining boy protests, as Glob Hermann turns the corner of the hallway, leaving him alone with the girl. He looks at her again, his anger evident. "Stop interfering with my life! I _hate_ you!" he explodes.

"No, you do not." Laura pauses. "You are angry that you cannot control the events in your past, so you try to establish yourself as being in control of someone else. I have seen this before." She is thinking of Kimura. "The target is always smaller and weaker, so that there is no chance of reciprocal."

"Don't try to analyze me." Julian's lips curl downward. "Last time I saw you, I got stabbed…and then you just _left_."

He has just confirmed her suspicions. "Yes. I am sorry. I needed to—"

"Oh, 'find yourself'? Everyone kept telling me that. What a load of complete and utter _bull__shit,_Laura. You don't just leave your friends like that. Especially not after—"

"Your hands." She pauses, and then makes a connection. "You have hands again," she comments, realizing there are metal fingers poking out of the sleeves of his uniform.

"If you'd have been here, you'd know all about that. But you weren't." He makes fists with his hands. "I've never understood how people could be so disloyal. It makes me not even want to bother making friends anymore."

"You are wrong," she says. "It is always worth the effort." Her voice is firm, and surprisingly he doesn't argue. His eyes flicker downward.

"I've got work to do…I'm going to go now." He pauses. "Don't bother following me, clone. I have absolutely zero interest in you."

Julian heads down the corridor, leaving her to ponder what has just occurred.

**XXX  
><strong>

"I need your help already!" Cessily bursts, abandoning a sheet of paper and bounding out her chair when Laura re-enters their shared room. Then she sees her friend's troubled expression. "What happened?"

"I found Julian and his friend in the act of bullying a student." Laura sits down on the edge of her bed. "When I interfered, he was angry. He accused me of being a bad friend."

"Oh." Cessily pauses. "You know he's just hurt, right?"

"Why is he hurt?"

Her friend sighs. "Julian probably feels left out. I think he would have gone with you, if you would have asked him to."

Laura blinks. "His life would have been in danger," she says. "I needed to find out some things, and the information was not easy to get."

Cessily hesitates. "For X-force, you mean?" She looks slightly nervous.

"No. I am not a part of X-force anymore." Laura gives the girl a firm look. "My goal was to discover more about past missions the Facility had sent me on, amongst other parts of my past. I needed to find out more about the people who made me."

"Oh. I get it." The other girl nods. She knows a little bit about the facility, having been held captive there herself, once. "Did you tell Julian that?"

"No. He would not understand." Laura looks down, feeling frustration. "He is very…stubborn. When he takes a viewpoint, he refuses to abandon it."

"You're stubborn, too," Cessily comments. "But more often than not, you're smart about what you choose to use that on. Julian's just bad at picking causes."

"Perhaps." Laura hesitates. "Do you think that he…missed me?"

"I dunno." The other girl grins. "That information depends on whether you're finally going to admit that you like him."

"I have always said that I like him." Laura brushes hair behind her ear.

"I'm pretty sure you know what I mean." Cessily's eyes narrow. "You don't seem confused about any other couples. I caught you smiling the other day when you saw Dr. McCoy hugging Agent Brand."

"I—fine." Laura flushes slightly. "Yes, I am…interested…in him. I do not understand why, or think that I should do anything about it."

"Why not?" Cessily demands. "You two are a _perfect_ match. Why do you think he's being such a jerk right now?"

"Because he is frightened by the lack of control in his life."

"No, because he isn't getting any!" The other girl grins. "I know him…and he's been mooning after you for a long while now. It's high time you two get together."

"But he told me that he has no interest in me." Laura leans back. "Even if he was not telling the truth, I do not think he wants to act on it. And I am not certain I want to, either." She pauses. "Julian is impatient, and rash. He is often unnecessarily rude, and causes discomfort to others in social situations. He also—"

"Has a heart of gold, and he'll kill himself sticking up for you." Cessily smiles. "Kind of like someone who happens to be talking to me. Don't fight it, trust me. Just let it happen."

Laura hesitates. "I don't know how to do that," she admits.

"I'll help you," Cessily offers. "I know _plenty_ about dating. I used to do it lots, before I, well, y'know, turned into a puddle of metal. Now, not so much…but I can certainly help you. And it's going to be super easy too. You've had Julian hanging on for so long that he's like an overripe fruit. You just need to reach out and pluck him."

Both girls pause, and Laura raises her eyebrows.

"What kind of fruit?" she asks.

"I would have classified him as an apple before…a red delicious apple," Cessily says. Her nose wrinkles. "I'd call him more of a grapefruit now, though. I hope you like sour."

"I enjoy spicy, strong-tasting foods," Laura says. "After years of eating nutritional paste at the facility, I like variety."

"Well, he's certainly not boring," the other girl comments. "He has more moodswings than a girl with PMS."

"PMS?"

"You know, that horrible week before the curse."

Laura raises her eyebrows. "Do you mean menses?"

"I think so…" Cessily pauses. "Yup."

"I occasionally experience mild irritation," the dark-haired girl imparts. "The biggest change is in my sense of smell. It becomes even sharper."

"I'm so jealous," her friend says. "I have horrible PMS. I get so bitchy…and I don't even bleed anymore, I just get all the bad symptoms!"

Laura gives her a sympathetic smile.

The two girls continue talking through the afternoon, Cessily's homework forgotten.


	2. Chapter 2

****__**ANNOUNCEMENT: **_Two new stories-_Like a Boss: Tainted Love_ and _We're in This Together Now, _along with the update wave! Enjoy! :o)_****

**_A/N: _**Thanks for the reviews! :o)

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><p><strong>~ Chapter 2 ~<strong>

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><p>"Okay, so here's the new 'do." Cessily holds up a picture, and Laura raises her eyebrows.<p>

"But it is—"

"Short, I know! Isn't it cute?"

Laura gazes pensively at the photo. She has had long hair for all of her life, and is hesitant to make such a radical change.

"Are you certain I need to do this?"

"Positive," Cessily affirms. "It'll grow back, and it won't take you long with your healing factor. Come on…you'll look so awesome. I have the perfect stylist to do it for you, too!"

"I usually cut my own hair."

"Are you _kidding_ me? Come _on! _Your appointment is in half an hour."

Laura makes an expression of alarm.

"I didn't tell you so you couldn't back out. Trust me…this will be great, and he _will_ notice."

She considers. "Okay."

Laura stares in the mirror, now wearing the haircut from the picture. She is intrigued by what she sees; her hair reached the middle of her neck, and frames her face, accentuating her features. She has never felt pretty before, but now she suspects she is, or is something close to it.

"I like it," she says.

Cessily beams. "Awesome! We're going shopping now."

"But I have homework." Laura is again distracted by her reflection, and after a few moments of gazing, she nods. "Yes, okay. Where are we going?"

Several hours later they return to the school, Laura not only having changed her outfit and done her hair, but now sporting hints of make-up and nail polish. She is also in a very relaxed mood, with a smile constantly reappearing on her face; she has greatly enjoyed her time with Cessily, in a way that she had not known how to in times past.

Perhaps Logan was right. This _is_ the final step in assimilating herself to society. The skills and understanding about friendship with Jubilee had introduced her to the idea of what it _could_ be. It strikes her odd now that her initial impression of the girl was that she was unimportant and useless; ironic, too, since she became both important and useful to Laura in terms of her own self development.

Returning to their room, the girls encounter a familiar figure in the hallway: Santo.

"What are you doin' with _her?_" He demands, his solid white eyes directed at Cessily, judgment and accusation obvious in his tone.

"Spending time with my friend," she responds, as Laura shifts unhappily.

"She ain't our friend, Cess. X is a _murderer. _She was on that creepy killer squad that Cyclops was running behind Frost's back!"

"God, Santo. She was on X-force to keep _us_ safe." Cessily glances at the girl. "Isn't that right, Laura?"

Laura feels at a loss for words. She'd never spoken to Santo before her involvement with the wetworks team; how is she supposed to talk to him _now? _But both are watching her, in expectation, and she knows that now is the time to defend herself.

"I did what I needed to do," she says, her expression strained. "People needed to die. People who would not hesitate to kill any of you. They are not innocent." She pauses, considering something. "I know the difference."

"And that makes it okay to kill people?" Santo rumbles.

"Bad people die all the time." Cessily folds her arms. "Cops shoot robbers who are threatening other people…boys go to war against the 'enemy'. They have for thousands of years. Why would what Laura did for us be any different? If anything, you owe her gratitude."

"I don't owe X _nothing!_" But Santo's tone is less certain. He glances between the girls, then sweeps down the hallway, mumbling under his breath.

"He's coming around," Cessily says.

"Do you think so?" Laura asks, uncertainly.

"Trust me. This time tomorrow he'll be overloading you with school gossip. As I understand it, it's supposed to be a gesture of affection."

"I see." Laura smiles slightly. "Thank you, Cessily. You are…a good friend."

"No, _you _are," the other girl says seriously. "I meant what I said. What you did for us…Laura, when the facility had me…I knew they would kill me without a second thought. And I know what you did, for us. For all of us, as a people. I'm so grateful to you…and I will never stop standing up for you, okay? But you can't ever give up."

"Okay." Laura blinks, feeling her eyes moisten slightly. She feels glad, suddenly, that she has returned to the school. She would never have known, otherwise, that people could care about her so deeply.

"Come on, let's go put these away!" Cessily says, in a brighter tone, as she gestures to the bags she's holding.

"How's it goin', half pint?" Logan asks.

He and Laura are sitting outside, on the headmaster's balcony, two bottles of beer on the small table between their lawn chairs.

Laura thinks. "Well, so far."

"Great to hear. You makin' friends again?"

"Many children are upset by my previous association with X-force," she says.

"Hate to say it, kid, but—"

"You told me so. I know." Laura closes her eyes. "Cessily is helping me to correct their views, slowly."

"Always knew she was a bright kid. Head's on straight. Glad she came back to the school." Logan pauses. "Want me to talk to anyone for ya?"

"No, I will handle this on my own." She hesitates. "You lied to me."

"Huh?" Logan pauses, the beer tilted to his mouth.

"You implied that Hellion wished to see me again."

A pause.

"I never said nothin' about him."

Laura fixes her mentor with a direct glare.

"Okay, okay." Logan takes a swig. "He's just a kid, Laura. If he's worth his salt, he'll come around. If not…there's plenty of fish in the sea, okay? You need any help pickin' one—a smart one—let me know. I got all their grade averages on file."

The girl smiles slightly, then pauses. "What is Julian's average?"

"Based on the kid's results, I'm surprised he can tie his shoes in the morning." Logan pauses, seeing Laura's nose working. "Aw, hell…fine. He's about average." He contemplates the bottle in his hand. "Goddamn clones," he says absently.

"As I remember, you insisted I return to the school," Laura says.

"Something like that." Logan looks at the girl again. "You should check in with Gambit, you know. He's been askin' me about you."

"I did not know he was teaching here." Laura raises her eyebrows. "Where should I look for him?"

"Ethics," Logan grins.

"I will go and find him tomorrow." Laura gazes across the balcony. "It will be nice to see him again."

"Sure he'd be glad too." Logan glances at his watch. "Crap. I got to do a conference call. You mind clearin' out for a bit?"

"No." Laura gets to her feet. "When would you like me to return?"

"As often as you want." Logan gets up as well. "The little time I got with you before, Laura…I regretted that. You needed guidance, and I wasn't there for you. But this here's a fresh start, and now if you need someone, you think of me first, okay?"

"Okay." Laura pauses, then holds out her arms, startling her mentor. After a moment he returns the gesture and they hug for the first time, a social action that Laura now understands. When they pull away, Logan nods to her.

"I think you've grown a lot, kid," he says. She smiles.

In Psychology class, Laura leans over as Cessily underlines a passage, and raises her eyebrows. The girl does not seem manipulative, and yet she is listening to the teacher in earnest, copying down Rachel's every word as if her life depends on it.

Laura, in contrast, only writes down the main points. She has eidetic memory; she only needs a few 'cues' to help her retrieve information from her long-term memory storage.

This also gives her a lot of time to examine the reactions of her classmates to the information being imparted. And more often than not, her eyes settle on Julian, sitting about five rows down in the lecture hall. Looking at him now, she sees that he is whispering to a student beside him; she can hear that he is contradicting what their professor is saying. Unobserved, she studies his side profile carefully. She notes the firmer angles in his face, the bags under his eyes, and the slight shadow across his jaw. It strikes her suddenly that he is getting older.

"Earth to Laura," Cessily whispers, sometime later, and she shakes her head slightly, embarrassed at having been caught staring. This is another new phenomena, this embarrassment. It strikes her whenever she commits a social blunder, or in other words, something she has learned not to do.

Perfect application of skills learned is very important to her, for that is how she was trained to learn, by the Facility. No matter how much she grows in character, there are some qualities she knows she will never lose.

She realizes that Cessily has given her this nudge because everyone around them is putting their books away, the class having ended. Laura flushes and hurries to do the same, her book making a solid _thud! _as it slips out of her fingers and hits the ground.

As they file out of the classroom, her eyes land on Julian again; Cessily elbows her in the ribs. "Don't be so _obvious!_" she hisses.

"Okay." Laura looks at her friend instead. "Can I copy some of your notes?"

"Course." Cessily smiles, and the two head for the cafeteria, discussing the topic of the day.

In the hallway outside English, Laura suddenly freezes in mid-conversation.

"What?" Cessily asks. "Something wrong?"

"Julian is walking toward us," she says, sounding uncertain. Now she gives her friend an imploring look, remembering that she had promised to help her.

"Hey," he calls to Cessily. Then he stops, gives Laura an odd, searching look. "You cut your hair," he says, almost accusingly.

Laura is silent.

"Doesn't it look great?" Cessily prompts.

For a moment, it is obvious that he agrees; then his expression hardens. "I don't think anything looks great on a _psychopath_, except for orange jumpsuits." He turns his back on the two, stalks into the now-open classroom, and slams the door behind him.

"Wow." Cessily stares at the door.

Laura falters. "I don't think this is a good idea," she says.

"Come off it. It was working." Cessily sucks her tongue. "He's having some real issues with admitting that he likes you. I think this goes beyond being angry at you for leaving."

"What do you mean by 'issues'?" Laura asks, in a miserable tone.

"He's conflicted. There's only one way to overcome this." Cessily nods. "We have to appeal to his sense of competition. If there's one thing Julian can't stand, it's getting beaten in his own game."

Laura looks confused.

"You need another boyfriend," Cessily clarifies.

"I do not want another…boyfriend," Laura says. "I am not even certain I want to go any further with…Julian. I believe he may need too much…" she paused, searching for a suitable word. "…maintenance."

"Trust me, it'll work." The other girl grins. "I bet you it'll take less than a week. It's simple. You get a stand-in, and I'll spread the word. If he sees you two together, he won't be able to handle it. His instincts will tell him to interfere…and to do that, he has only one option."

"I do not like this plan," Laura says.

"It goes along with what we learned in psych this morning," Cessily argues. "Remember when Professor Grey told us about how to get people to do what you want? Other than telepathy, there were four main ways: money, threat of pain, convincing someone that it's in their own best interests…and the most powerful one…convincing them that it's their own idea." She pauses. "Julian won't have a clue. It'll all come from him."

Laura considers this, with an uncertain expression.

"What have you got to lose?" Cessily points out. "Compare that to what you could gain."

A moment's pause.

"…fine," Laura mumbles. "I will require assistance in…acquiring this…stand-in."

"Leave it to me," Cessily promises.


	3. Chapter 3

**~ Chapter 3 ~**

* * *

><p>"Okay, so I found the <em>perfect<em> guy for you," Cessily whispers.

She had been absent during lunch period, having disappeared in the rush of students exiting Psychology in the morning. Now they are sitting in Calculus, listening to the teacher lecture them on why calculators cannot be used for the course.

Laura waits, uncertain.

"Quentin Quire," Cessily continues.

"I have not met him," she replies.

"Well…he's pretty much a douche bag. Telepath who tried to start a movement here at Xavier's. But he'll be all over you…and the best part is, Julian hates his guts. When those two are in a room together, the air practically turns black with negative feelings."

"I am not certain I wish to see that," Laura says, sounding worried. "I do not want to get in the middle of enemies. I already have enough as it is."

"Neither is going to be your enemy, Laura."

"What if I am forced to choose a side?"

"Then you take Julian's, _duh._ Isn't he the whole point of this?"

Laura sighs. "Yes…but I do not like your plan."

"You don't have to like it. Just go along with it. You asked me for help and now I'm helping you, ye of little faith." Cessily smiles smugly. "Did I not tell you edging up your look would get a reaction out of him?"

"Julian became angry, and slammed the door."

"It still counts as a reaction," Cessily argues.

Laura considers this. "…fine," she says, grudgingly. "I will meet with Quire, but you will need to provide instruction, to both of us."

"Oh, Quire's not going to be in on this," Cessily says, grinning.

"But—" Laura looks alarmed. "You said he is a telepath."

"And his ego is totally going to get in the way of that, just you wait and see." The redhead grins again. "Trust me, boys are predictable, no matter what their special powers are. Although…maybe if their power was to develop ovaries…" She looks thoughtful for a moment. "Anyhoo, it's a sure thing. I'll let it slip near Quire that you have the hots for him and his rebel attitude. No, wait—better yet, I'll just _think_ it really loud beside him. We have shared psionic defense exercises. Usually telepaths can't read me, but last week he picked up me mentally cursing at Santo. And when he comes for you—"

"Comes for me?" Laura interrupts.

"Comes to claim what he thinks is his. You just go with whatever he says. I'll let it slip to Julian…and then we'll coordinate it so he sees it together. I guarantee you he'll confront Quire….who will say that you have a thing for rebels…and watch, he'll do anything to get your attention."

"I have a headache," Laura says, her forehead wrinkled.

Cessily nods. "Leave it to me. Just say 'yes' to whatever Quire wants, got it?"

"…I think so," Laura says. She pauses. "Could I ask Julian if he would like to be my partner instead?"

"Do you think you can get the words out?" Cessily counters.

The other girl considers. "When will Quire be coming?"

"Soon. Give me a day or two."

"Okay." Laura still looks unhappy, but she does not question her friend on the plan any further.

_You're __**NOT TRYING! **_Rachel Grey roars, inside of each of her students' minds. _Only Quire and Kincaid stand any chance at throwing off my attacks. I'm learning things about you that even your own __**MOTHER **__doesn't know! Doesn't that __**BOTHER **__you? Aren't you going to even __**TRY AND STOP ME? **_

Cessily angles a glance at Quentin Quire, who is standing on the opposite side of the circle the students form. His expression is definitely one of boredom; inside, she smiles slightly. She decides she will plant her information on the next telepathic assault wave from Professor Grey.

_Alright, boys and girls. Prepare to meet your maker. And this time…any secret I get from your heads is fair game for the entire group. _

It's hard for Cessily to keep from grinning. She couldn't have asked for a better chance to spread gossip. She closes her eyes, and as Professor Grey shouts _**DEFEND!**_, she mentally pictures her friend whispering to her—in English class—that she's really interested in the boy with the purple Mohawk, sitting three rows away. Cessily has always been good at daydreaming, so it isn't hard for her to imagine this.

_**FAILURE! **_Professor Grey shouts, looking frustrated. Her eyes fall on Cessily. _I can't believe it! You guys are getting __**WORSE **__by the minute!_

Quire suddenly jerks his head around and looks at Cessily, his eyebrows raised. She lowers her eyes, as if she is annoyed; secretly, she's patting herself on the back. From the look on his face, he's taken the bait hook, line and sinker.

Twenty minutes later, Cessily is stopped from heading down the hallway by none other than Quire.

"Hold it, Kincaid!" he orders, as he marches toward her in his usual aggressive manner.

"Um, hi," she says.

"Who's your friend?" he asks.

"A lot of people are my friends," Cessily answers, wrinkling her nose.

"You know which one I'm talking about." Quire stares at her intently, his purple Mohawk like a flame on his otherwise shorn head. "Come on, I'm processing twenty-three algorithms right now. Two contain possible cures for _cancer, _and about ten pinpoint how badly this school is going to implode. I don't have time for crap like this."

"Well—" Cessily bites her lip. "No, I can't. Laura would hate me. Oops!"

"Laura. Laura." Quire thinks for a few seconds. "X-23. The creepy girl with claws, can never get a good read on her."

"She's hardly creepy compared to _you!_" Cessily snaps.

"That'll do, Kincaid." Quire spins around and marches in the other direction; the girl watches him out of sight, and then allows herself a triumphant grin. _So far, so good. _

At lunch the next day, Cessily is again absent. Laura sits alone, trying not to shoot longing glances toward Julian as he sits amongst a group of kids, laughing occasionally and contributing to the conversation.

She doesn't even notice the stranger until he clears his throat.

"Ah-hem."

Laura looks up from her plate—burrito held in her hands, halfway to her mouth—to meet the eyes of the boy who is leaning over the table. He is wearing glasses, and has a shaven head, except for a shock of purple hair at the crown.

"Hello," Laura says uncertainly.

_SCREECH! _as the boy pulls a chair out, and plunks down opposite from her.

"Introductions bore me, so I'm just going to download my awesomeness into your head. That cool?" he asks casually.

Laura stiffens. "I do not like the sound of that," she says apprehensively.

The boy purses his lips. "I bet the only thing sharp about you is those copy-cat claws of yours. Wolverine's like that. His mind's like a dollhouse actually, all these layers and secret rooms. Heh, you eat Tabasco sauce to compensate for all the years of bland diet. That's so lame—you should try leading a revolution, if you want excitement. Hey, you know what else is exciting?"

"You're Quentin Quire," Laura says, suspiciously.

"I prefer Kid Omega, but whatever floats your boat. Did you think about my offer?"

"Offer?"

"Damn, I already made it fifteen times over in my head. Want to rule beside me when I take over this place?"

Laura blinks, her burrito still halfway to her mouth.

"I'll take that as an absolute _**YES.**_And trust me, I'm the real deal…I already busted Xavier's big dream. I'm the reason he freakin' _stepped down_, man. Showed him about all his black birds crap. Logical error, _my ass._" Quire grins at Laura, and the contents of her burrito squirt out onto her plate. She doesn't notice.

"You ever done Kick? _That'll _throw some taste in a bland diet. Ten times the power, man! Don't know what it'd do to a healing factor though. Hey, you ever tried dousing yourself in gasoline and lighting up for the hell of it? I can tell you, with the rate Wolverine heals at—and being his clone _sans_ Adamantium, that reduces about half-time—you could be peachy-keen in two hours flat. You should try it, sounds like a hell of a lot of fun. Real cleansing, you know what I mean?"

Laura lets the empty burrito wrap drop. "Do you suffer from mental instability?" she asks, hesitantly.

"What the—no! I think ten million _brilliant _thoughts a second!" Quire leans back in his chair. "You're lucky one of those thoughts was about _you. _So?"

"'So?'" Laura parrots, uncertainly.

"What about it? Be my queen and I'll scrawl your name across the _stars._"

"I—" Laura is about to reply, when her eyes catch something she had previously missed. Over Quire's shoulder, she sees that Julian has stopped talking and is watching her table, his expression dark. "Alright," she says, a little stiffly.

Quire beams. "I knew you were cool! Awesome. Want to have sex?"

"Yes. Wait, _what?_" Laura shakes her head.

"I like a challenge." Quire grins. "Wanna meet me in the library at six on Friday? Me and some buddies are going to leave our mark on this school. Bring some spray paint and for gods' sakes don't dress like a kindergarten teacher. This is rebellion and we're teaching these losers our _names, _alright?"

Laura remembers what Cessily had said. "I enjoy…rebellion," she says stiffly. She thinks that she hasn't delivered the line very convincingly, but judging from both Quire's widening (fox-like grin), and Julian's narrowing eyes (twinkling slightly green), she is deserving of an acting award. What was that called again? Yes…an Oscar.

"Sweet deal, man. You're going to be hotter than Tattoo ever was, I just _know_ it. And it's so awesome that your mind's all sealed up like a clam. I'll just bet it's full of juicy secrets!"

Laura tries not to act revolted. She smiles instead. "I have anti-psionic training."

"That's what it would seem like. Yours is better than Logan's…I cracked through _his_ in under a nanosecond, with only _two_ thoughts. I'll get a read off you in a bit, I'm sure."

She hears the sound of a chair being moved, and footsteps, approaching the table; then two metal hands clamp down on either side of the back of Quire's chair.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Julian demands.

Quire looks up, his expression full of irritation. "None of your business, cretin."

"Are you _listening_to this piece of shit?" The glowing green eyes are now directed at Laura, and she raises her eyebrows.

"Am I not allowed to?" she asks.

"You're just jealous your mind is all brawn and no brain," Quire says smugly.

"Shut up. I can't believe you, Laura." Julian looks disgusted. "I thought you were better than this. He _killed_ people, you know. Sophie died because of him!"

"Sophie's death wasn't my fault!" Quire looks angry. "They proved that was Esme!"

"God." The other boy looks downward. "You're such a waste of space. I can't believe Professor Logan ever invited you to this school. It's for _Higher Learning, _not barbarian anarchy, you insufferable prick."

"At least I have a _useful_ power," Quire mocks. "I can read and alter a hundred minds simultaneously…while _you_ can make it seem like you still have a pair of hands."

"Better than pretending I have a _head_!" Julian snaps, unconsciously tightening his grip so the chair bends slightly. "I'm amazed. All those kids died…and _you're _still here."

"I could say the same." Quire grins. "I think I'll just make you wet yourself first."

"Too bad Professor Grey-Summers taught me how to interrupt your bowel controls," Julian counters. "Touch my brain and I swear to god I'll make you shit out your _organs._"

"Please stop," Laura says, disturbed.

The boys continue to glare at each other.

"Hey guys…what's up?" Cessily's voice cuts through the air, easing the tension with its friendly melody.

Laura looks to her in desperation.

"Oh, err…is anyone going to Dr. McCoy's speech this Friday?" the metal girl asks, sliding into the empty seat beside Laura.

"I could give a crap less about that ball of fur," Quire says. "He impresses me about as much as a house cat that's been litter trained."

"I'll be there if it kills me," Julian replies. "You girls coming?"

"Laura's going to be helping me bring about a new dawn in the mutant debate. Research in the library!" Quire answers. "She doesn't have time for a wasted speech about human-mutant _cooperation._"

"That sounds fun," Cessily says, trying not to laugh. She catches Laura's worried eyes, and beneath the table, pats her knee reassuringly.

Julian glares at the girl. "You wouldn't, Laura. You wouldn't hurt Professor Logan like that."

Laura looks at the table, wishing strongly that she had chosen not to return to the school altogether. She bites her lip and hopes earnestly that everyone will just go away and leave her alone. Under the table, her knuckles turn white as the urge to pop her claws and draw blood manifests itself.

"Actually, Laura has a date," Cessily says abruptly.

Both boys stare at her, and she inwardly winces. _Quick…c'mon…idea, please, I'm begging you to come…_she thinks, and then suddenly she has it. "A double date, with me and this guy I met last Tuesday. He has a single friend, so I was like, why not?"

The boys look to Laura now, to confirm this. She gives an almost imperceptible nod, her eyes closed and the corners of her mouth downturned.

"You'd rather go on a _date_ than help advance the mutant situation?" Quire demands.

"It wasn't Laura's idea…she just promised me so I'd be happy," Cessily says quickly. "She owes me a favor, you see."

"And Laura wouldn't break a promise," Julian adds, sounding satisfied. "I've had enough of this crap for the day."

"Likewise." Quire slides out of his chair. "Look me up when you're hungry for some _real_ action, Kinney."

When both boys have left, Cessily claps her hands over her mouth, to stifle the bubbling laughter. "Oh man, did you see his _face?_" she asks.

"That was very uncomfortable," Laura says. "I did not enjoy it. I do not understand why it was necessary."

The other girl sighs. "Julian's teetering on the edge with you, and one shove is going to make him take a dive. Think of this as…hey, I know! You liked Chemistry class, right?"

"Yes. Chemical reactions are logical and easy to understand."

"Easy! Pfft." Cessily rolls her eyes. "Laura, you're a piece of work. Okay…so remember that experiment we did, where we made Aspirin?"

"Yes." The other girl says, nodding.

"Remember how we used a catalyst to make the chemical reaction happen?"

"H3PO4," Laura says immediately. "Otherwise known as Phosphoric acid."

"Your memory is _insane._" Cessily looks envious. "Okay, so pretend you and Julian are the ingrediants—"

"C7H6O3 or salicylic acid, and C4H6O3, otherwise known as acetic anhydride," Laura supplies helpfully.

"Yeah, those. And Quire is the—"

Laura's eyes widen. "Catalyst!" she says, and Cessily can almost hear the mental _click!_ as the thought snaps into place. "I understand," she says. "I will do better. Should I attend the library with Quire on Friday?"

Cessily considers. "Yeah. The more Julian sees you two together, the faster he's going to break."

"Quire proposed sexual intercourse," Laura says thoughtfully.

"Eww, god! _No!_" The redhead shakes her head vehemently. "You don't need to sacrifice yourself for this. Although…I bet if Julian saw you _kiss_ that jerk—even on the cheek—he'd blow a gasket."

"I will do whatever is necessary to accomplish the mission," Laura says, and she seems to have renewed confidence. Cessily pats herself on the back for having managed to define the situation in terms her friend could comprehend. She pauses for a moment, thinking how odd it is that Laura would need a _more_ complicated analogy to understand things…but whatever. She beams.

"Awesome. Just promise me, when you and Julian get married, I'll be your maid of honor, okay?"

Laura looks alarmed. "Will that be a result of this?"

"I was totally joking," Cessily says, in a deflated manner. "Who knows, though. We're playing with _fire_ here. When Julian gets stuck on an idea, it's like a railroad track. Can't get him off it, and can't stop him."

Her friend looks uneasy for a moment, then shakes her head dismissively. "How should I approach Quire on Friday?"

"Well…" Cessily purses her lips, then grins.


End file.
